Find out how popular the last name Rena is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Rena.

Rena, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Rena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rena in America

Rena is the 54990th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rena surname appeared 374 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rena to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Rena

The surname RENA has its roots in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, particularly in areas that are now part of modern-day Poland and Ukraine. The name is believed to have originated in the 14th or 15th century, derived from the Slavic word "ren," which means "pure" or "clean."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname RENA can be found in a Polish census record from the late 16th century, where a family by the name of Rena was listed as residing in the town of Krakow. In the 17th century, the RENA surname also appeared in several parish registers and land ownership records in the regions of Galicia and Volhynia, which were part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the time.

During the medieval era, the RENA surname was sometimes spelled as "Renna" or "Rena," reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in that period. There are also historical references to the name being associated with certain occupations or trades, such as those related to the production or handling of cloth or textiles, as the word "ren" could also refer to the cleaning or purifying of fabrics.

One notable figure with the RENA surname was Jan Rena, a Polish nobleman who lived in the late 16th century and was a prominent landowner in the region of Lesser Poland. Another historical figure was Andrzej Rena, a Polish-Lithuanian military officer who fought in the Polish-Muscovite War of 1654-1667.

In the 19th century, the RENA surname gained wider recognition with the birth of Ignacy Rena (1818-1892), a Polish engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines and locomotives. His son, Stanisław Rena (1845-1912), followed in his footsteps and became a renowned architect, responsible for designing several notable buildings in Warsaw and other Polish cities.

Another individual of note was Maria Rena (1876-1942), a Polish writer and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and education in the early 20th century. Her published works, including novels and essays, shed light on the experiences of women in Polish society during that time.

While the RENA surname has its roots in Eastern Europe, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the Slavic regions, where it was first recorded and carried by individuals who left their mark on history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rena

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Rena.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Rena was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Rena has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Rena was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rena, please contact us.

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